Wednesday, 13 April 2022

Adventures in the Caribbean: St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda

Today's stop is St. John's, Antigua, and again we were in port when we woke up. 

A Royal Navy ship was across the harbour from us.


There's the Antigua and Barbuda flag flying atop Grandeur of the Seas.


I took the kiddo ashore to buy and mail postcards and go for a little walk in the morning, but really we have realized she is better off staying in the kids club aboard the ship than touring Caribbean islands in the heat (although the temperature has rarely been over 30 degrees!).

So, after lunch and leaving the kiddo amongst friends, Diana went ashore and enjoyed drinks at a popular cafe called Hemingway's.


I always try to drink the local beer, and here on Antigua it has a pretty cool name--Wadadli! 


Sadly, albeit not surprisingly, colonialism's legacy here in the West Indies is not only chattel slavery but also genocide. I have struggled to determine to what extent Indigenous people remain, but I do know in many cases they were killed or fled these islands for greater security further west. Still, Wadadli is the island's name in Arawak (apparently meaning "our own") and is now the name of Antigua's most popular beer.

After Hemingway's we had an interesting walk to the market--I was surprised how quickly we got out of the (very touristy) cruise port area and into what felt like authentic St. John's. 


We also walked to the cathedral, but we could not figure out how to get inside. 


Then we stopped by the national museum, but it was closing when we arrived, so that was not an option either... anyway, we enjoyed the walk.


We returned to the port and sat by the water drinking Tings before reboarding.

No comments:

Post a Comment